Chicken Karahi

Authentic Chicken Karahi in under 30 minutes

I absolutely love Chicken Karahi! It ticks all the boxes for me because it’s delicious, yet it’s very simple to make. And the ingredient list is so short it almost feels wrong. The masala is cooked down to perfection and has an intense tomato ginger flavor. The garnish of julienned ginger and a sprinkle of dhania adds the perfect aroma. On top of that, it only takes 30 minutes or less to cook. What more do you need?

This chicken karahi is simple yet delicious

I love that this recipe can be made using boneless chicken, or whole chicken. For the boneless version you can use chicken breast or chicken thighs, cut into 1.5 inch cubes. For bone in chicken, get a whole chicken skinned and cut into 12-14 pieces. The smaller the pieces, the more surface area for the masala to stick to! I’ve noticed that cooking this in a wok style pan cooks the masala and sears the chicken better. If you are going to use a pot, make sure it’s not too small so you can cook off the liquid without overcooking the chicken.

Trust the process while cooking, and do it in order

You may think, why should I sear the chicken before adding the tomatoes? Or why are there no onions involved in the masala? Just trust the recipe and you’ll get a delicious masala and and perfectly cooked chicken. The yogurt is there to help create a masala with the tomatoes, and promise, you won’t miss the onions. Also, authentic chicken karahi doesn’t have onions, which also cuts the cooking time. So no waiting for onions to turn golden brown.

Sconce&Scone

Chicken Karahi

Authentic Chicken Karahi in under 30 minutes!

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Pakistani

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 lbs boneless chicken cubes or 1 whole chicken, skinned and cut into 12-14 pieces
• 4 tbsp oil
• 2 tsp fresh crushed ginger
• 1 tsp fresh crushed garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2-1 tsp kashmiri laal mirch chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander seeds
• 1/4 tsp haldi turmeric
• 1/4 cup yogurt whipped
• 3 roma tomatoes chopped
• 4-5 green chilies halved
• julienned ginger for garnish

Method

 

1. Start off by adding the oil and freshly ground ginger and garlic to the pan. Sauté for a minute or so, until the garlic and ginger become aromatic. Then add the chicken and sauté for 3-4 minutes. When the chicken is opaque add the spices with the whipped yogurt and mix well.
2. Add the chopped tomatoes and halved green chillies. Mix well, then cover and let the chicken cook on a medium flame for ten minutes. Take the lid off and increase the flame. Cook uncovered, mixing occasionally, until most of the liquid has dried up and you're left with a velvety tomato masala. taste for spices and adjust. Then serve with julienned ginger and fresh naan or roti.

Notes

Variations: Make it spicier by adding even more green chillies. 

If you don’t have Roma tomatoes make sure you use tomatoes that are ripe. 

Add a teaspoon of dried kasuri methi for added flavor at the end. 

Have you tried this delicious and easy Chicken Karahi?

I love hearing your feedback. If you try this recipe I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comments below!

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